'NBA 2K11' (PS3)

With Electronic Arts announcing that new basketball franchise NBA Elite 11 has been delayed indefinitely, there is plenty to be happy about in the 2K camp right now. With no competition to speak of - save for arcade basketball title NBA Jam - NBA 2K11 has the luxury of being the only baller on court. The lack of any rivals means that the game's publishers must feel pretty confident that basketball fans will shell out the cash for some up-to-date b-ball action, regardless of the quality. However, judging by the extremely high standard of this year's installment, such a cynical idea never crossed the minds of the game's development team.

The most immediately striking thing about NBA 2K11 is just how gorgeous it all looks. It is quite possibly the most attractive sight to appear on a TV screen since Myleene Klass took a shower in the jungle. The colourful world of the NBA is captured magnificently, to the extent that it almost appears as if players are watching an actual basketball contest instead of playing a video game. The sprites look and move like their real-life counterparts, the arena lights reflect off the freshly polished courts, the fans behave like a real crowd and the animation is as smooth and slick as a baby's bottom dunked in a vat of motor oil. When coupled with the top-notch commentary, the TV style production values and the realistic sound effects, NBA 2K11 genuinely stands out as one of the most authentic packages of all time - despite the odd botched face-job when the camera zooms in.

Falling in love with the game's visual style and presentation really does happen immediately, because players are on court taking part in a hugely significant and historic game of ball before navigating a single menu screen. In what is perhaps the grandest introduction of all time, NBA 2K11 begins with a dramatic cutscene featuring Michael Jordan, before transporting players back in time to take charge of the Chicago Bulls as they battle against the might of the LA Lakers in the 1991 playoff final - it's Magic Johnson vs. Michael Jordan.

With 2K Sports striking a deal with Michael Jordan, the 1991 playoff final isn't the only historic moment of the man's career to tackle. In fact, there are ten Jordan challenges to complete in one of the game's finer modes of play. Players are faced with the difficult task of matching MJ's accomplishments in some of the most significant appearances of his illustrious career. Challenges include hitting a whopping 69 points in one game against the Cleveland Calvaliers, outscoring and subduing a prolific Dominique Wilkins and leading the way against the Utah Jazz despite having the flu. Playing with and against all of these classic teams and players is a pleasant feature, and is made all the more enjoyable by the commentary and analysis accompanying the games, which does a fantastic job of putting them into context. Be warned though, completing the challenges and unlocking Michael Jordan as a rookie for the current roster's career mode is extremely difficult, even on the easier settings - as is winning a game by any great margin for that matter.

The game's difficulty is down to the complexity of the controls and the ramped up A.I. The computer is a highly gifted opponent in NBA 2K11 and will frustrate those who are relatively new to the series or have traditionally got their basketball fix from the likes of the backboard shattering NBA Jam. Nine times out of ten, throwing a pass to a teammate off-screen is tantamount to a turnover, resulting in the opposition dunking on you or hitting an unchallenged three pointer. Sometimes it seems a little unfair at how good the computer is on defense, especially when they have their back to the ball yet still manage to nick it from you, but mastering the controls is the sure-fire way to counter such indiscretions.

Learning the ins and outs of the game's control scheme won't come quick though. There are pages and pages of moves and tricks to master, most of which are essential if players want to compete at a higher level. The game features a number of tutorials, but even they only scratch the surface of what can be achieved with the joypad. The analogue controls for dribbling and shooting feel very intuitive and the trigger buttons are conveniently placed to aid the player's quest for technical excellence with the more advanced moves. Passing, on the other hand, is much more difficult to master and using the basic controls resulted in many passes being picked off by the opposition because they weren't always thrown to the intended target. The more accurate means of passing is to use the button-specific system, which assigns a different player to a different button on the pad, but it's much harder to use this method with any great fluency until a good few hours have been spent playing the game.

Fortunately, the game offers plenty of ways for players to practice. Most of the modes will be familiar to anybody who has played a sports game in recent years - be it a 2K Sports game or otherwise. There are all of the usual exhibition games and tournaments to compete in, as well as the chance to manage your own team in Association mode or create your own star and rise through the ranks in My Player. Both Association and My Player modes are very good, but My Player is a little slow to get going and sometimes unfairly penalises your player making it harder to improve your stats and reach the NBA. When your player does reach the dizzy-heights of stardom, there are some nice features such as press conferences and endorsement deals, but only for players with the patience to stick at it. There are also some fun mini-games to master such as the slam dunk contest and three point shooting competition, which are enjoyable and addictive in their own right. Perhaps the only thing missing from this otherwise excellent sports game is a really deep online mode as seen in the EA Sports games.

Whether or not you enjoy NBA 2K11 has a lot to do with how patient a gamer you are. If players are willing to invest a lot of time in the game, then they will enjoy one of the finest sports games on the market today. If players want a quick pick up and play title, however, then NBA 2K11 will beat you more times than the Globetrotters have squashed the Generals. Despite lacking a killer online mode, NBA 2K11 is a hall of fame entry in the always stellar series. Never was a match more perfect than Michael Jordan and NBA 2K11 because both will be remembered for their excellence for years to come - or until next year in the case of the video game.